Calderdale Pupil Referral Unit

Policy Name: / Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
Policy Number: / 9
Links to: /
  • Pupil Behaviour and Discipline Policy (6)
  • Anti-Bullying Policy (2)
  • The Use of Positive Handling for Pupils with Severe Behavioural Difficulties guidance.
  • Safer Recruitment Policy (45)
  • Whistle blowing Policy (53)

Date of Approval: / November 2016
Effective Date: / October 2016
Review Date: / November 2017
Person Responsible: / Head Teacher
Approved By: / PRU Management Committee
For Action By / All Staff
For Information to: / All Staff
Parents / Carers
The Headteacher/Principal is...Mark Leicester
This policy was developed on …21 October 2016
This policy was signed off by the Governing Body on 9th November 2016
The policy will be reviewed on November 2017
The Designated Safeguarding lead (DSL) who takes the lead for Child Protection is Maxine Garbett (Deputy Headteacher)
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding lead(s) is/are
Philip Gibbins (Safeguarding Officer)
The name of the Designated Teacher for Children who are Looked After is
Maxine Garbett (Deputy Headteacer)
The named Member of the Governing Body for Safeguarding is
Danielle Worthington

Contents

Introduction

Section 1School Commitment

Section 2Providing a Safe and Supportive Environment

2.1Safer Recruitment and Selection

2.2Safe Working Practice

2.3Risk Assessment

2.4Safeguarding Information for Pupils

2.5Partnership with Parents

2.6Partnership with Others

2.7School Training and Staff Induction

2.8Support, Advice and Guidance for Staff

Section 3Ensuring that Children are Safe at School and at Home

3.1 Child Protection Procedures

3.2 Supporting the child and partnership with parents

3.3Preventing violent extremism

3.4Child Sexual Exploitation

3.5Female Genital Mutilation

3.6Children Missing from Education

3.7Domestic Abuse

3.8Forced Marriage

3.9Peer on peer abuse

Section 4Allegations regarding Person(s) Working in or on behalf of School (including Volunteers)

4.1 Managing Allegations Procedures

Introduction

The policy is in line with:

  • Calderdale Safeguarding Children Board Policies and Procedures which are available on
  • West Yorkshire Procedures which are available on
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015)
  • Keeping Children Safe in Education (2016)
  • Information Sharing (2015)
  • What to do if a child is being abused (2015)
  • Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004
  • Education Act 2002
  • Teaching Standards 2012
  • Guidance for Safer Working Practice for those working with Children and Young People in Education Settings (SWP Consortium Oct 2015)

Safeguarding is defined as:

•Protecting children from maltreatment;

•Preventing impairment of children’s health or development;

•Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;

•Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

(Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2015)

We believe that:

  • Schools play a key role in the prevention of abuse.
  • All children have the right to be protected from harm.
  • Children need support which matches their individual needs, including those who may have experienced abuse.

Section 1School Commitment

This policy applies to all adults, including volunteers, working in or on behalf of the school.

The purpose of this policy is:

  • To inform staff, parents, volunteers and governors about the school’s responsibility for safeguarding children and to develop awareness and identification of abuse
  • To establish and maintain an environment where children are and feel safe, can learn, and are encouraged to talk and are listened to.

Everyone working in or for our school service shares an objective to help keep children and young people safe by:

  • reading and understanding Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2016)
  • providing a safe environment for children and young people to learn and develop in our school setting, and
  • identifying children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm at the earliest opportunity, and taking appropriate action with the aim of making sure they are kept safe both at home and in our school setting

Calderdale PRU is committed to safeguarding and promoting the well being of all of its pupils. Each pupil’s welfare is of paramount importance. We recognise that some children may be especially vulnerable to abuse. We recognise that children who are abused or neglected may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth and to view the world in a positive way. Whilst at school, their behaviour may be challenging. We recognise that some children who have experienced abuse may harm others. We will always take a considered and sensitive approach in order that we can support all of our pupils. The diagram below indicates what we consider under the umbrella of safeguarding and indicates some of the other policies that relate to safeguarding. the school ensures that all policies are cross-referenced and reviewed annually. All policies are available to staff, and a register is kept and signed by staff as evidence that they have read and thus agreed to adhere to any policies.

Section 2Providing a Safe and Supportive Environment

2.1 Safer Recruitment and Selection

The school pays full regard to DfE guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) 2016. We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works in the school, who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult including e.g. volunteers and staff employed by contractors. Safer recruitment practice as laid out in KCSE (2016) is adhered to in terms of scrutinising applicants and DBS Checks, appropriate to the level required. For this we use the Department for Education’s (DfE) separate statutory guidance on supervision and regulated activity.

This school is committed to keeping an up to date Single Central Record (SCR) or Register which covers the following people:

  • all staff (including supply staff) who work at the school;
  • all others who work in regular contact with children in the school, including Governors and volunteers;
  • (for independent schools/academies/free schools) all members of the proprietor body

The Single Central Record (SCR) records the safer recruitment checks and states whether the checks have been carried out or certificates obtained, the date on which the checks were completed and by whom.

If we have staff from an agency or third-party organisation, we will obtain written notification from that agency or organisation that they have carried out the checks, and we will ensure that we check the identification of the person presenting themselves for work and that this is the same person on whom the checks have been made.

Mark Leicester………………………………… (Head teacher)

Heidi Wilson…. ………………………………..(School Governor) and

Jessica Crawshaw / Carol Carpenter……….(School Business Manager/Admin)

Three of the above people have undertakenSafer Recruitment Training, and at least one of the above will be involved in all staff and volunteer appointments and arrangements (including, where appropriate, contracted services).

2.2Safe Working Practice

The Teaching Standards (2012) state that teachers, including head teachers should safeguard children’s wellbeing and maintain public trust in the teaching profession as part of their professional duties. All staff who work within our school are responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions.

In accordance to the Safer Working Practice Consortium’s ‘Guidance for Safer Working Practice for those with Children and Young People in Education Settings’ (Oct 2015) and linked to our Staff Behaviour Policy (Code of Conduct) and Whistle Blowing Policy; safe working practices in our school ensure that pupils are safe and that all staff:

  • work in an open and transparent way;
  • discuss and/or take advice from school management over any incident which may give rise to concern;
  • record any incidents or decisions made;
  • apply the same professional standards regardless of gender, sexuality or disability
  • comply and are aware of the confidentiality policy
  • are aware that breaches of the law and other professional guidelines could result in criminal or disciplinary action being taken against them, and they could be referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

2.3 Risk Assessments

Risk assessments are taken seriously and used to good effect to promote safety. Risk assessments are undertaken for all aspects of the school’s work, such as premises and equipment, on-site activities, off-site activities, venues used and transport. Where relevant, risk assessments are carried out for individual pupils, and supported by action plans identifying how potential risks would be managed. The school uses Calderdale Evolve for off-site visits.

Individual risk assessments are also used when deciding a response to a child demonstrating potentially harmful behaviour such as sexually harmful behaviour or when identifying whether a child who may be particularly vulnerable such as a child at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation.

2.4Safeguarding Information for pupils

All pupils in our school are aware of a number of staff who they can talk to. The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are aware of behaviour towards them that is not acceptable and how they can keep themselves safe. All pupils know that we have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), who is a senior member of staff with responsibility for child protection and pupils know who this is. Likewise all pupils know that there is a Deputy DSL who they would talk to if the DSL was not in school, We inform pupils of whom they might talk to, both in and out of school, their right to be listened to and heard and what steps can be taken to protect them from harm.

Pupils in our school are treated with dignity and respect and their views are listened to. School’s arrangements for consulting with and listening to pupils are structured form time, keyworker arrangements, assemblies and pupil voice questionnaires. We make pupils aware of these arrangements by regular feedback, wall displays and school newsletter.

Safeguarding is a priority which is reflected in the curriculum, which is used to promote safeguarding and is tailored to local concerns.

2.5 Partnership with Parents

The school shares a purpose with parents to educate and keep children safe from harm. Information is provided to parents on keeping children safe through the Parents’ Information Pack, the school website and through regular communications through other channels. Parents can be advised to report concerns if they are worried a child is at risk of harm eg by reporting concerns to MAST.

We are committed to working with parents positively, openly and honestly. We ensure that all parents are treated with respect, dignity and courtesy. We respect parents’ rights to privacy and confidentiality and will not share sensitive information unless we have permission to do so, or it is necessary to do so, in order to protect a child.

Calderdale PRU will share with parents any concerns we may have about their child unless to do so may place a child at risk of harm

We encourage parents to discuss any concerns they may have with the Head of Year, initially, but also with the relevant keyworker or Safeguarding Leadsand we encourage use of Parent View as an opportunity to provide feedback to the school. We make parents aware of our policy through the Admissions Pack and website andparents know that this policy and others are accessible at all times via the school website. Posters and displays also ensure that Safeguarding has a high profile within the whole school community.

We keep parents up to date with our Safeguarding curriculum website or personal correspondence.

2.6 Partnerships with others

Our school recognises that it is essential to establish positive and effective working relationships with other agencies. Relationships the school has for promoting a safe and supportive environment include for example, the LA, Multi-Agency Screening Team (MAST), CAMHS, Police, Health, Childline in Partnership with schools, NSPCC, National Youth Advocacy Service, YOT, Social Care, Lifeline, Safe Hands and others. There is a joint responsibility on all these agencies to share information to ensure the safeguarding of all children.

As a school we will cooperate with Social Care where they are conducting child protection enquiries. Furthermore school will endeavour to attend appropriate inter-agency meetings such as Early Intervention Panels, Early Intervention Single Assessment (EISA) and TAC meetings, Child In Need reviews and Initial and Review Child Protection Case Conferences. We will provide written reports as required for these meetings and, wherever possible, these reports will be shared with parents prior to the meetings. We appreciate that attendance and contribution to these meetings may require key members of staff to be contactable and available during school holidays.

2.7 School Training and Staff Induction

The school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead undertakes refresher training at 2 yearly intervals, provided by Calderdale MBC’s Schools Safeguarding Advisor. The DSL also attends other opportunities such as the DSL Network events and Multi-Agency Training to ensure that they are up to date with current practices and procedures and in order to further their continuous professional development.

The Head teacher and all other school staff, including non teaching staff and volunteers, undertake appropriate induction training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities for child protection effectively, which is kept up to date by refresher training in Basic/Foundation Safeguarding Awareness on an annual basis. Calderdale PRU School ensure that this takes place each year on an alternating cycle by the DSL providing annual updates through face-to-face delivery or theschool accessing external whole school face-to-face training. Where staff miss the annual training through absence or starting employment mid-cycle, the DSL will co-ordinate online training for those staff members.

All staff (including temporary staff and volunteers) are provided with the school’s safeguarding policy and child protection procedures and are informed of school’s child protection arrangements on induction. Safeguarding procedures are also outlined in the Staff Handbook, of which all staff have a copy. All staff sign a register to say that they have received, read and understood Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe In Education.

2.8 Support, Advice and Guidance for Staff

Staff will be supported by the LA* and professional associations and have access to Safeguarding advice through the DSL’s in the school and through school information systems.

The designated safeguarding lead for Safeguarding/Child Protection will be supported by the Head, the nominated governor and weekly mentoring and half-termly supervision arrangements with the other Designated Safeguarding Lead. (Deputy DSL – a reciprocal arrangement)

*Advice is available from the Schools Safeguarding Advisor (Rezina Kelly 01422 392134).

Safeguarding is also an agenda item for regular SLT meetings as well as the termly Pupil Focus meetings and therefore there is an opportunity for discussion and to raise concerns on a weekly basis.

It is recognised that staff should receive regular supervision and support if they are working directly and regularly with children whose safety and welfare are at risk, and therefore the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead receive reciprocal supervision arrangements on a half-termly basis. This is supported by a weekly handover feedback meeting.

Section 3Ensuring that Children are Safe at School and at Home

3.1 Child Protection Procedures

Teachers and other adults in school are well placed to observe any physical, emotional or behavioural signs which indicate that a child may be suffering significant harm. The relationships between staff, pupils, parents and the public which foster respect, confidence and trust can lead to disclosures of abuse, and/or school staff being alerted to concerns.

The Child Protection Procedures detail what the school would define as abuse referring to the definitions from Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (2016).

All staff follow the schools Child Protection Procedures which are consistent with ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015’ and the Calderdale Safeguarding Children Board guidance.

It is notthe responsibility of the school staff to investigate welfare concerns or determine the truth of any disclosure or allegation. All members of staff however, have a duty to recognise concerns and maintain an open mind. Accordingly all concerns regarding the welfare of pupils will be recorded and discussed with the designated safeguarding lead with responsibility for child protection (or the deputy DSL in the absence of the designated person) prior to any discussion with parents.

Where a member of staff is recognising signs or indicators that a child may have unmet needs or welfare concerns these will always be passed on to the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that any appropriate interventions and/or referrals can be actioned. The DSL will use the Calderdale Continuum of Need to determine the threshold of concern and then will determine whether this can be dealt with within school or whether this may require an Early Intervention

Single Assessment, Referral into the Early Intervention Panels or a referral into the Multi Agency Screening Team (MAST) if the child may be at the threshold of Child In Need or there is concern that the child is at risk of significant harm and this Child Protection Enquires may be needed. These signs of indicators may be of one of the main four types of abuse or neglect or may be of other specific safeguarding issues, the most relevant to our setting are detailed below.

3.2Supporting the child and partnership with parents

  • School recognises that the child’s welfare is paramount, however good child protection practice and outcomes rely on a positive, open and honest working partnership with parents
  • Whilst we may, on occasion, need to make referrals without consultation with parents, we will make every effort to maintain a positive working relationship with them whilst fulfilling our duties to protect any child
  • We will provide a secure, caring, supportive and protective relationship for the child
  • Children will be given a proper explanation (appropriate to age and understanding) of what action is being taken on their behalf and why
  • We will endeavour always to preserve the privacy, dignity and right to confidentiality of the child and parents. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will determine which members of staff “need to know” personal information and what they “need to know” for the purpose of supporting and protecting the child.

3.3The Prevent Duty